flex workers

The Dutch middle class face many uncertainties and it is important that the government focuses on reducing it, according to recommendations made by the scientific council for government police WRR on Wednesday. There is no sign that the middle class is falling, but people in this group have to put in extra effort to maintain their social position, the WRR concludes, ANP reports.

Make it cheaper for employers to take on permanent workers, and more expensive to hire temporary workers, new FNV chairman Han Busker said in an interview with AD. If this does not happen, there will be labor actions, he said as a message to the parties currently negotiating forming the new Dutch government together.

"I assume that the new minister of Social Affairs, whoever it may be, will listen well to FNV. And if they don't listen in The Hague, we will make our sound elsewhere. If necessary, the FNV will simply take action. With a full Museumplein if it must", Busker said.

A quietly implemented change to the calculation of unemployment benefits, has had negative effects on flexible workers and seasonal workers, whose benefits are suddenly much lower. The change is also affecting those who briefly left unemployment for lower paid jobs and then reapplied for benefits

Nearly 200 organizations are laying off employees because of the introduction of the new worker protection law in July, according to labor union CNV. Temporary workers who have worked with a company for at least two years are entitled to severance pay under the new legislation.